


This Heart is Black

by for_t2



Category: The Witch: Part 1. Subversion
Genre: 5+1 Things, Blood, Cows, F/F, Food, Hopeful Ending, Love, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_t2/pseuds/for_t2
Summary: Five times Ja-yoon learned how to love, and one time she decided to hope
Relationships: Ja-yoon (The Witch)/Do Myung-hee
Kudos: 25





	This Heart is Black

**1.**

The first morning Ja-yoon woke up finally rested, the first she did was check the room for weapons. The glass in the empty picture frames, the wood of the bed frame, the metal in the coat hangers… there was a lot she could use.

But as she stretched, her muscles ached. The sheets underneath were stained with dark, dry smears of blood, and somehow deep at the back of her spine, a small, dull ache throbbed in her skull.

But she was alive.

And she was hungry.

She pushed herself slowly out of bed, testing her balance, her motor skills limb by limb. If any of them were left, if she need to run again… She’d rather kill. She liked killing. She enjoyed the look on their blood-soaked faces when she had ripped out their hearts, when they screamed as she smiled, when-- 

Her stomach growled. Again.

They would have moved on quickly. Cleaned up the mess she left behind. Ran away like terrified weaklings at the thought that the little girl that they created would find them again and finish what she started.

And she would. Find them. Kill them. Make them suffer.

But first, she had to eat. She needed to get her strength back. Revenge on an empty stomach seemed like a bad idea, and she wasn’t sure the idea of becoming a cannibal sounded tasty. So she trod across the cool wooden floor and pushed upon the bedroom door.

And almost walked right into Ms— into her new mother’s legs.

“You’re awake?” The farmer’s wife quickly stored the pile of freshly folded clothes aside to check Ja-yoon’s injuries. Injuries which were quickly fading. “We were so worried when we found you, we thought that maybe…”

“I’m okay.”

“That’s wonderful.” She patted Ja-yoon’s back. Gave her a warm smile. “Do you want some lunch? You must be starving?” And she led Ja-yoon down the stairs, she added an even warmer smile. “And welcome home.”

It was different than the facility. Than the monochrome stone walls and metal beds that she was so used to. It was… It was cozy. So Ja-yoon put on a smile of her own. “Thank you.”

**2.**

Ja-yoon uncomfortably scratched her neck under the collar of the school uniform. She never had to wear so many layers when she was in the facility. Never had the chance to wear so many layers. But there was still a sense of familiarity in the uniformity – all the children lined up in rows, identically clothed, herded into a small bus to-- 

“You’re the new kid.”

Ja-yoon blinked as a face stuck itself in front of hers.

“I’m Myung-hHee.” A face with a hyperactive smile. “My dad’s friends with your dad. He’s a cop. He says I need to make sure you don’t, quote, get lost. Or else.” She snorted. Examined Ja-yoon. “You’re pretty.”

Ja-yoon blinked again.

“Hello?” Myung-hee frowned. Poked her. “Are you listening to me? Are you awake?”

Ja-yoon stopped herself from blinking a third time. Put on a shy smile instead. “Sorry, I’m just nervous. First day of school and everything.”

“Of course, you are. Everyone always is.” Myung-hee tsked. Scooted Ja-yoon away from the window so she could claim the seat for her own. “So just listen to me, and you won’t get into any trouble. You could even become the star of the school.”

“I could?”

“Duh.” Myung-hee reached into her bag for a snack. Held out half for Ja-yoon. “I know what I’m doing.”

Ja-yoon chuckled. A real, genuine chuckle. There was something amusing about this girl. About her new friend. “It’s nice to meet you, Myung-Hee.” About her first friend.

**3.**

There was something deeply annoying about the way one of the baby cows wandered towards her. About the way it sat down, plunking its head down in her lap. About the way the knife in her hand hesitated.

Fear was part of what made her strong. It was what had helped her escape, what kept the idiots in school who thought they could laugh at her and her friend away, it was kept the people who created her trembling in fear in whatever bunking they were hiding in. It was the fear that helped make the killing so much fun.

But this tiny, weak cow didn’t fear her.

And, before she had sneaked out of her room in the middle of the night, when she was still pretending to sleep, she overheard the fear in the parts of her parents’ arguments that she managed to catch through the walls. About how the markets had tumbled, how if they lost any of their cows this year, their finances…

About how they needed to make sure they’d be able to afford it if her mother needed to go back to the hospital.

Ja-yoon wasn’t used to feeling fear. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like not being able to do anything about it.

And this stupid little cow thought it could just walk up to her and stare with those big round eyes like she wasn’t someone to be feared.

“Fine.” She tossed the knife aside and slumped down next to the baby cow. “You win.” Stroked her fingers through its fluffy fur. “I’ll keep you safe tonight.”

**4.**

“Close your eyes.”

“Myung-hee…”

“Just do it!” Ja-yoon sighed, but she what she was told. “Now open your mouth.”

Ja-yoon opened it. “Why?” Only for something to be immediately stuffed in. “What…” Her words came out muffled before she trailed off. Before she chewed. Before she tasted. “This is really good.”

“I knew you’d like it!” Myung-hee beamed as she held a box of homemade snacks between them. “I didn’t want to add to much spice, but I figured you’d— Hey!” She tried to pull the box away from Ja-yoon as she grabbed a big handful and stuffed it in her mouth. “I need to eat too!”

Ja-yoon just smirked, dribbles of sauce leaking down her chin. And then stuck out her tongue.

And made another lunge for the food.

And somehow, when it was all gone, when both their stomachs were full, they found themselves leaning against each other, eyes drifting off into a nap. And, somehow, Ja-yoon found that she didn’t mind.

**5.**

Ja-Yoon didn’t like the way Myung-hee was looking at her. As if she was something evil. Something terrifying. Which, to be fair, the blood splattering all across her and the fact that she just shot a handful of armed paramilitary troopers probably didn’t help. To be even fairer, she was and she quite liked being terrifying, but she wasn’t that to Myung-hee. She never had been and didn’t want to ever be.

But, despite that, despite everything, Myung-hee had called her normal.

Something that made Ja-yoon want to smile, that made her feel something warm inside her. Something that she had proved desperately wrong.

She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to fix it.

Oh well.

She grabbed her sweater, shrugged it on as she stepped over the bodies. Her plan, everything she had working on for years, had finally, finally succeeded. Her blood was practically boiling in excitement at the thought of being so close to slaughtering them all, to hearing them squeal in pain and moan in agony.

“Ja-yoon? Where…”

Right. Myung-hee. “It’s okay.” She wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away.

**+1**

Three months. It’s all she had left. The one month that had already been injected into her spine, and the two months she had resting in the pocket of her jacket.

But she had promised her parents she’d find a way, so she would. And her father had encouraged her to find it, and maybe, just maybe, she might be able to find something permanent for her mother too.

Three months.

Standing in front of the hospital, staring up at Myung-hee as she pressed her hands to the glass windows, it didn’t really seem like enough time to say all the things she had never said. To tell Myung-hee who she was, what she meant to her, how she was going to live a long, full, happy life as the farmer’s girl. How… 

How she loved her.

It was just three months.

So, instead, she put on a big smile and waved, hoping that Myung-hee got the message. But if she didn’t, well… They could talk about it later. Because she was coming back. No matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> I've relied on the Wikipedia article for any surnames - so please let me know if I've got anything wrong! (And I can't believe this film doesn't have any fanfic on this site?)


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